Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/396

 370 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY Mr c. Tucker office as Mayor the financial position of the corporation greatly improved. By wise, cautious, and moderate action and diligent care, even at the risk of impopularity, he reduced the expenditure of the corporation, wiped off depressing arrears, and placed the funds in a sound and healthy financial condition. His occupancy of the civic chair was marked by the inauguration of many felicitous schemes and enactments, and in their conception can be seen the impress of his own sterling ability and his judicious foresight. His popularity is unquestioned ; his personality has won for him warm and true friendships. He is Past Worshipful Master of the United Lodge of Freemasons, a member of the Grand Lodge of South Australia, Past Arch of the Acorn Lodge of Druids, a Mark Mason, and a Royal Arch Mason. Mr. Tucker is to be credited with the inauguration of the Local Government Association, which was formed by joining the forces of the Municipal and District Councils' Associations, with the object of bringing the general government more in touch with the wants of the people. This intermediate, deliberative body has been from its inception a distinct success, and its ever-growing utility causes Mr. Tucker's foresight and legislative ability to stand out in great relief. Of this association he was first President. Mr. Paris Nesbit, Q.C. ANGASTON was the birthplace of Mr. Paris Nesbit on August 8, 1852. He was a schoolfellow for some years of his Honor Mr. Commissioner Russell at his father's school, Angaston. He received a good grounding in German at the school of the Rev. G. Rechner, at Light Pass, and afterwards at a school then conducted at Tanunda by Mr. ¥. Basedow, who afterwards represented Barossa for many years in the House of Assembly. Mr. Nesbit first appeared before the public in September, 1865, when he was very successful at the last of a series of public competitive educational examinations. After some three months in the English, Scottish, and Australian Bank at Kapunda, under Mr. J. G. Pitcher, his father deemed a legal career more suitable than banking, and in August, 1868, he was articled in the office of Messrs. Ingleby & Robinson. He commenced practice in January, 1874, and in June of that year joined Mr. Nicholson, and was in partnership with him until about the year 1880, when he joined the firm of Ingleby and Grundy, thus constituting the firm of Ingleby, Grundy, & Ne.sbit. His next partnership was with Messrs. Gordon & Bright for .some seven or eight years, during which time he received the distinction of the office of Queen's Counsel. He is now associated with Mr. Noel Augu.stin Webb. On August 29, 1900, he entered the ranks of journalism by editing a weekly entitled Morning, which attracted some attention in South Australia and the other colonie.s. Mr. Nesbit's literary capabilities are of a superior character. He has made many translations from Goethe, Schiller, and Heine, which are considered by competent judges to be of the very first order of merit. For about 10 years, from 1885 to 1895, he drafted nearly all the principal Acts of Parliament.